Friday 14 July 2017

Camp NaNo Update // inspiration, pizza, and snippets

WHY HELLO THERE. We're almost halfway through the Camp NaNo month, and I think this is the perfect time for a midpoint update and some pizza and hopefully maybe inspire some more words?
That would be a bonus anyways.


- My Novel Stats -



Chapters written: 20
Chapters remaining: 4
Current shortest chapter: 988 words
Current longest chapter: 3,548 (I think I'll be splitting this into at least two though)
Current word count: 29,152
Estimated completed word count: 35k (give or take a thousand words or so)
Estimated completion date: 15 July

And may I just say how proud I am of my cabin?? They're all doing so well, and having a great time. Shout-out to all you wonderful people in the Fellowship of the Keyboards. Your combined effort makes it a great cabin. (I might be a superhero, but I'm not that much of one that I could keep an entire cabin alive if no one helped :P)

In more conversational tones, my story has been going pretty well (and, as you can see, I reached my camp goal of 25k with ease on day #11). It's been behaving itself fairly decently and I've been enjoying writing it, that's for sure. The style of the story has been a nice break from Rogue Escarlate and all that - what with it being 1st person, present tense and the characters...rather different than Will and Ben and their crew.


- Inspiration -

Over the past half-month, I've had some random quotes or snippets that have drifted past me completely by 'coincidence' and yet they were always the perfect thing that I needed to keep pressing on. So I thought I might share some of them with you, and just maybe they'll inspire you too.


"My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness."
- 2 Corinthians 12:9

Your talent is God's gift to you. What you do with it is your gift back to God."

"We aren't called to walk in our own strength - we're called to walk in his"


"We're all on a journey. We're all working at it. We're all falling down and climbing back up again."

"I laugh a lot
for no good reason
sometimes
I just catch myself doing it
and then I grin
and keep on laughing
cuz I'm happy
I'm blessed
loved
and suddenly I'm laughing
for a good reason"
- Joy, Julia Ryan

I'm so blessed to have people in my life who say these amazing things, and I'm even more blessed that I have a God who is always there encouraging me along the way.


- Snippets -
(from A Sprig of Green - my Camp NaNo novella)

Please someone help.

My limping run slows quickly, but I get far enough away from home that I don’t recognise where I am. I lift my eyes from the blurring road beneath my feet, dashing one hand across my eyes and blinking around.

There are streets and buildings and people.

Greys and browns and blacks.

Why isn’t anything green anymore?

The hot road hits my knees and I cover my face in my hands, trying to hold back the tears between my fingers. My shoulders shiver and I hunch over as Venys’s words echo around in my skull.

Get out…you wretched freak…and never come back.

- - -

I extend my arm all the way and can’t lower her any further. “Now you need to swing and jump,” I call down, trying to swing my arm inward toward the balcony.

“I can’t.” Her fingers start to loosen.

“No—don’t you dare let go.” My heart starts thundering, echoing the clouding sky above. “I’ve got you. Just swing in and jump.”

Her fingers stop sliding from mine and I feel a sort of rush as she kicks her legs out and then swings forward. I let go, but she keeps clinging to me, starting to swing back out again. I grab at her hand, the unexpected weight throwing me off balance and starting to slide forward.

Michayla starts forward again and her hand slips away from mine. I topple forward, snatching at the edge of the roof to save myself. My elbows hit the hard surface and I scrabble for grip. I jam my fingers into a tiny gap and manage to stop my fall. My pulse roars in my ears, and I heave in shuddering breaths, my body suspended over nothing by only my own strength. Michayla might trust me, but I don’t trust myself.

“Braden,” Michayla’s cry comes from below. “Swing and jump. You can do it.”

I register her words, but my entire body is frozen up, immovable even if I wanted to. I can’t do this. What was I thinking?

A heave of cold air rushes over me and then the Raining starts.

The sky cracks open and water deluges down onto me. It’s only seconds before I’m soaked to the skin, and then my grip begins to slip.

“Braden!” Michayla screams over the roar of water. “Jump.”


- - -

I close my eyes, pressing against the inside wall of the pod. It’s going to be okay. I repeat it over and over to myself. Everything is going to be okay.

A scrape of fabric brushes against the outside of the pod and I cringe lower into myself, trying to hide in the foot space but there’s no cover anywhere. Someone swings up and pauses above me and I squint up. Braden’s eyebrows are arched above his dark glasses and I sit up instantly.

“Come on,” he says, beckoning to me. “I can get you out of the landing bay but after that, you’re on your own.”

I scramble up onto the seat. “Braden,” I know I’m begging, but I don’t care. “I need your help.”

He is silent for a few moments and then tips his head away. “I can’t.”

I reach up and catch hold of his sleeve. “Please. I can’t do this alone.”

Braden freezes and looks down at my hand on his sleeve, then he slowly pulls his arm away. “Okay,” the word slips like a soft breeze through his lips and I relax, the pounding in my chest lessening instantly.

“Thank you,” I whisper.

He nods, looking down for a moment before offering his hand out to help me from the pod. I slip my hand onto his palm; it’s cold and damp with sweat, but firm beneath me. I trust my weight against his grip and slide down to the ground, his hand steadying me.

“All right.” He nods his head toward the side of the huge room. “Everyone thinks I’m taking you in as a maid, so try to act like you’re old enough to work here.”

I nod, twisting my fingers together in front of me. How could anyone look at me and think I was old enough to work somewhere this important? I swallow, the back of my throat dry and scratchy. “I…I’m not sure I can do this,” I whisper.

Braden looks down at me and then shakes his head. “You have to.”

He’s right. I have to do it, for Father.


- - -

I think that in summary I can fairly well say that camp is going wonderfully for me, and I'm even getting time to chill and do other things. It's my most relaxed schedule since July last year, and I'm pretty happy that I can have a chance to do some stuff other than writing. (I should do that more often actually)


How is your writing going?
(any snippets to share?)
*hands out pizza to everyone* Keep on writing, guys!! :D

29 comments:

  1. Wow I LOVED that snippet!! So, so exciting! Can't wait to see more :)
    Happy writing, hope it keeps going well! I'm not taking part in Camp NaNo this year, but I will be participating in NaNo in November.

    Amy @ A Magical World Of Words

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    Replies
    1. YEET THANK YOU. *flails*
      That's so cool though. (I'm http://nanowrimo.org/participants/jane-maree if you wanted to stalk me and we could be buddies! :D)

      Delete
  2. SNIPPETS <3
    except they always end in cliffhangers, ack... XP
    *wonders if I can still do snippets even if I'm not doing NaNo*
    *thinks*
    hmm, well, here's one :P

    “What were you doing?” I asked him.
    “I went to get the mail,” Marc answered. “There’s one here for you that looks fancy. Who’s sending you fancy mail?” He handed me one of the thin tablets.
    “I have no idea.” I took it, looking for any indication of the sender’s identity.
    The screen bore many scratches, and chinks marred the normally smooth back panel of a regular letter tablet. It looked like it’d been drop-kicked, thrown, run over with a train, then smashed with a hammer all before someone had attempted to frisbee it into our mailbox. And missed.
    A red notification popped up on the screen. A warning of some sort that said it could only be opened by the intended recipient, a Mr. Eric Gunther.
    I frowned. “Did you try to unlock this?”
    He peered sheepishly through his shaggy mop of dark hair. “Yes. I wanted to see who it was from.”
    I raised an eyebrow as I put my thumb over the ID space. “You know better.”
    The sensor scanned my thumbprint, gave me a buffering screen, then made a successful sounding beep and opened the file.
    And the words were sideways.
    I smirked and turned it right side up so I could actually read it.
    “Who’s it from?” Marc asked, bouncing a little.
    “It’s from….” I dragged out the word, half teasing, half serious, since I was still looking for the sender’s name. Aha, there. “The Government of Palisadia, Military Branch.”
    Oh, please let this not be…
    I glanced at the first line, and my stomach sank.
    There in bold, no-nonsense letters was the fifth worst thing on my things-I-dread list.
    YEAR OF SERVICE SUMMONS
    “Not now,” I groaned. My shoulders slumped."

    ...that's like my only snippet-worthy spot in the book so far O.o XP

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You already know the ending of them all though. XD I'm hoooping to get this story done tomorrow/the day after so YEET THAT'S EXCITING.

      O-O eek halp that's so cool. *squeaks* *applauds enthusiastically* Thank you, thank you, for sharing. <3

      Delete
    2. I know, I know... :P eeeeeeep that is exciting!!! : D

      thanks! that was probably one of my favorite scenes to write XD

      Delete
    3. Hehe yas. HOPEFULLY. *glares determinedly at paper* I've got four chapters though since yesterday didn't go well. BUT I CAN STILL DO THIS.

      I can see why. It's so epic. *nods*

      Delete
  3. AWESOME snippets, Jane!!! AHH!
    It's going well. Slow, since we're going crazy with moving, but it's going. :P Snippet:


    Hovering on the edge of the forest, right behind a few trees, was a dark figure. It was black, hunched over slightly, with shoulders and a torso and legs…. But it had no face. It was black, and appeared to be a human form, but it wasn’t human. A horrific fear gripped my stomach and heart. I froze.
    The creature had no face, but it was long, brilliant white fangs. They glistened against the blackness. All I could see was that faceless form, and those thirsty, terrifying fangs.
    “Isaac- look!” I tried to speak. I think I did. I didn’t know- I couldn’t breathe, it was impossible to speak.
    A hand jerked my shoulder. I yelped in fear, tearing my eyes away from the monster, trying to get to my feet. Isaac, Sam, and Derek all three cursed in surprise; Isaac was standing, and Sam, who sat nearest to me, was yanking me off the ground. All four of us were staring at the treeline.
    They saw it. It wasn’t just me.
    ___ (copyright 2017 Angela R. Watts)
    God bless, Jane!
    -Ang | thepeculiarmessenger.wordpress.com

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    Replies
    1. OOH SNIPPET. *devours instantly* I love that!! <33 SO cool and I'm sure I got shivers reading it. :D

      Thank you so much!! :)

      Delete
  4. This was a REALLY cool post. Congrats on doing so well on your NaNo novel! I need to get to work harder on mine :P Your snippets are epic!

    thefloridsword.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. THANK YOU. *flails*
      YOU CAN DO THE THING. I BELIEVE IN YOU. *gives you pizza and chocolate for motivation*

      Delete
  5. *squees 'cos SNIPPETS* *flails 'cos inspiring quotes and verses* I LOVE THIS SO MUCH.

    *takes a deep breath to calm down and pats your head* Good job Jane :D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. YEEP THANK YOU. I'M SO GLAD YOU LIKED IT.
      Now go, do allll the writing. <3

      Delete
  6. *takes pizza* THOSE WERE GREAT SNIPPETS!!! I really want to read your book now. XD XD
    My writing is going good, and I posted another installment on my blog. So far I have nine written, but only four posted. :-D
    I love being in the Fellowship of the Keyboards! It is a great cabin. ;-)
    Really!? You never told me about you being a Superhero... ;-D

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Yeet that's so cool. *flails* Thank you! ^-^
      yayyy that's great. ACK, NINE??? I MUST READ THEM. XD
      I love having you!! It's so fun. :)
      SURPRISE. XP

      Delete
  7. WHAT WHAT WHAT! I AM IN LOVE, YOUR SNIPPETS JANE <3. GET THIS PUBLISHED GIRL because I am itching to read it, why can't I write like that *cries*. Camp nano...is going pretty awfully for me haha, it's time to get back in the groove and inspired which I am lacking at the moment.

    Anna - www.worldthroughherheart.blogspot.com

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    Replies
    1. *cries because you liked it and I'm so excited now* EEK THANK YOU SO MUCH ANNA. <33 This made my day, like...you have no idea. *hugs comment*
      *gives you motivational pizza* You can do this, girl. <3

      Delete
  8. Hey Jane!! You want a Snippet?

    (Note: Epsilon is the main Character)

    Anhu pulled his dagger out as Epsilon approached. He lifted her up by the neck as if she were a doll and cut her lip, then started to choke her.
    Cries such as “Somebody stop him!”, “Please, don't hurt her!” and “You-” ran through the crowd. The Raiders laughed.
    “You can't do this! You-You're a monster!” Betty called through the crowd, much louder than the rest of them.
    The Raiders were still laughing. “I can't do this, eh?” He said, taunting her. “And besides,” He drawled gleefully, “who's going to stop me?” He dropped Epsilon to the ground. She laid there, motionless. The Raiders roared with laughter. The villagers couldn't believe it. Epsilon was dead.

    Do you like it? (If you've read it before, *Hint hint: My Nano Project info* Then I'll give you the next snippity snippit *immediately goes and edits said snippit*

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Oohh very nice. I don't think I've actually read that before. (for shame, Jane, for shame. I should stalk my cabin members' snippets more often xP)
      BUT YES. I did like it, certainly.

      Delete
  9. I really need to get cracking... I haven't written for the last three days, and it would be really embarrassing to drop behind with my tiny [by regular standards] goal! You and your cabin are doing GREAT, though :) *accepts pizza gratefully* *because you can't say no to the pizza ninja*
    Jem Jones

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. *pushes you toward the writing stuff* goooo wriiiite. You can dooo ittt. XD
      *yes never say no to the pizza ninja* XP

      Delete
  10. Even though I am not doing Camp NaNo, I'd still take some pizza!
    Ooh, ooh, what kind is it?? XD
    Food is so delightful (if its the right kind, of course)...

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    Replies
    1. *passes you alllll the pizza* Yas for pizza. XD It can be any kind you want. Homemade of course though, and very motivational. :P

      Delete
    2. Great! I like homemade pizza! *devours pizza gratefully* :D

      Delete
    3. Homemade pizza is the bestest.

      Delete

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